1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a lightweight folding stool with an integral toilet. More particularly, the present invention includes a compact, packable, combined toilet and stool for outdoor use. The present invention may be disposed of after an initial use or used repetitively as desirable. Ideally, the invention is biodegradable by incineration or burial.
2. Known Art
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, toilets have evolved considerably since their introduction. Although various different designs are currently being used, most toilets share several features and functions. For example, conventional toilets generally include a permanently mounted bowl that is filled with water. The bowl is supported by a frame with a seat and an integral reservoir. The reservoir contains the necessary amount of water to "flush" the toilet after use. The frame is generally positioned over a drain through which the flushed wastewater with entrained contents are conducted. The drain connects to an appropriate sewer connection to channel the wastewater away from the structure and to an appropriate receptacle. Further, most toilets are typically housed in an enclosure to give the user privacy.
One of the problems associated with permanent structures that house conventional toilets is that they are not readily portable. Another problem associated with conventional toilets is that their large size and weight make them difficult to transport easily. Another problem with convention al toilets is that their plumbing and associated fixtures are not readily mobile. As a result, most toilets are not portable.
However, there exists a need for portable toilets for use while camping, hiking, hunting or participating in other activities where conventional toilets are not readily accessible. At most remote locations, such as many campsites, recreational parks, fields, woods, hiking trails, state parks, wildlife preserves and sanctuaries, wilderness retreats, national forests and the like, toilets are generally not widely available and/or accessible. While many persons enjoy the solitude these remote locations afford, they often forgo these locations because of the attendant lack of sanitary toilets. These persons deserve the convenience and comfort of a sanitary toilet at these locales.
Furthermore, toilets are often not readily available when traveling. In such instances, the traveler may find themselves in a deserted region or area with no conventional toilet facilities available. Such travelers also deserve the comfort and sanitation of a toilet.
Moreover, it is desirable to provide a personal device that may be deployed by a user relatively quickly. In this manner, their primary activity does not become the necessity of assembling a toilet. This also enables the user to return to their former activity more quickly while also maintaining sanitary conditions.
Many of the toilets on the market today are large permanent structures, such as the previously described conventional toilets. These type of structures are not suited for outdoor use because of the weight of the structures and their bulky nature. For example, conventional toilets often weigh in excess of ten pounds and contain at least two gallons of water weighing an additional eighteen pounds. Thus, a conventional toilet can easily exceed twenty-eight pounds in weight. These structures are also not suited for transportation to remote locations for the same reasons.
Other types of portable toilets have previously been proposed to address these concerns. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,826, shows a portable toilet combination. This device shows a structure shaped like a suitcase. The device has various compartments for storing accessories and a central compartment for waste reception. While the device may be portable in some fashion, it appears to be relatively large and bulky. Consequently, it would be difficult to transport easily, especially for backpackers and the like. Also, it appears as if the device would require an inordinately large amount of storage space when not in use. Thus, it would adversely affect the storage space otherwise available to a traveller in a vehicle.
Another portable toilet example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,301. This device shows two separate components that may be folded to decrease the overall bulk of the device. However, the device does not appear to provide a suitable seating structure when not in use as a toilet. Also, the device is not a unitary structure and the disparate top could be easily lost or misplaced, causing the device to malfunction.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,991 shows a portable self-contained toilet that is reasonably sized compared to conventional toilets but still entirely too bulky. This device also uses fluids to flush its bowl. As a consequence, the device would be weighty as well. The device also fails to provide a comfortable seating structure when not in use as a toilet. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 358,459, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,526,537 and 5,586,344 show various portable toilet structures. However, none of these devices appear to be compact. They also fail to provide a comfortable seating structure when not in use as a toilet.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for an improved packable combined stool and toilet with a unitary structure that is compact and light-weight. An improved device would function as a stool or toilet as necessary. An ideal device could be easily assembled from a compacted storage configuration very quickly.